The BIG CRICKET

In our foraging for old fashioned country stores we seldom strike out when rounding the bases on South Carolina's rural roads. Certainly it's a prize when we discover an ongoing multigenerational country store still in operation. When we find one of those it is decidedly a home run. Today we got a base hit with Barwick's Variety Shop.

We made a run up U.S. Highway 17 North and took a left at Highway 45 which is an official "Evacuation Route." Depending upon the weather, Highway 45 either begins or ends at McClellanville, SC. Anyone hanging around McClellanville when the hurricane horn goes off knows which way to run so the "Evacuation Route" signs seem unnecessary. They do, however, help one avoid enjoying their day too much by keeping weather terror in our daily thoughts.

We're all familiar with animals named after people. Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle, Wilson's Snipe and Pel's Fishing Owl are three of our favorites. Today at Barwick's in charming, but unassuming Shulervlle we have discovered Ghann's Cricket, "Top Quality Fish Gettters!" (see the faint print on the sign). Notice how he's looking to see just where you're going to put that hook before he goes to get those fish for you.

Barwick's Variety Shop may have gone extinct, but Ghann's Cricket has just moved down the road a bit. We doubt that he's made it all the way to WalMart, but he's probably still out their getting fish for some lucky angler.